Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Fundraiser: Retired NFL quarterback Drew Brees hosted a celebrity pickleball tournament on Friday at Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma to raise $25,000 for Feeding San Diego. The event brought together athletes and celebrities to support families facing food insecurity amid a 20% rise in demand for food assistance.
Celebrities Take to the Court
World tennis champion James Blake, NHL Hall of Famer Jeremy Roenick, and celebrity chef Richard Blaise joined the tournament. Participants traded their usual sports arenas for pickleball courts to raise funds and awareness. The event also served as a preview for the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival, which continues through the weekend.
Brees Adapts to Pickleball
Drew Brees discussed the mental shift required for pickleball. “There’s a lot more patience with pickleball game, whereas in football, you’re trying to hit him with the big play as soon as you can,” Brees said. “So much of the doubles pickleball game is at the net — you’re just kind of waiting for that opportunity to try to put somebody away, and then you get a firefight. You’re back and forth, and all of a sudden you’re back at the net and dink, dink, dink again.”
Community Impact and Support
Feeding San Diego hopes the fundraiser will provide 50,000 meals to families in need. Allison Glader of Feeding San Diego Food Bank noted the increased demand. “We really need the community’s help right now,” she said. “We’re seeing a 20% spike across all our food distributions — school pantries, produce pantries, mobile pantries in rural areas.”
James Blake emphasized the importance of events like this. “If playing a little pickleball helps kids, I’m all in,” he said. “Hopefully we can make an even bigger impact.” CBS 8 served as a sponsor for the tournament.
News in Brief: Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Fundraiser
Drew Brees hosted a celebrity pickleball tournament in Point Loma to raise $25,000 for Feeding San Diego amid a 20% increase in food demand. Stars including James Blake, Jeremy Roenick, and Richard Blaise participated. The fundraiser aims to provide 50,000 meals and coincided with the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival.